Your Turn: Don't fear the beige box

Early in the year, companies like Intel, Microsoft and Dell joined together to form the PC Gaming Alliance.

Concerned that the humble beige box was being increasingly marginalised as consoles become more popular with both consumers and publishers, the alliance aims to highlight and promote the PC's gaming strengths to the public as well as analysts and the press.

It will also try to tackle some of the PC's biggest challenges, including piracy, cheating, security and the "consumer experience".

Today prolific Screen Play contributor James "DexX" Dominguez does his bit for the noble cause...

Don't fear the beige box

The attitude toward PC gaming in much of the gaming press these days puts me in mind of that great old Mark Twain quote: "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Copy-protection insanity aside, Spore has caused a major splash on the PC scene, and the coming months will see a series of highly-publicised PC game releases, including Crysis: Warhead, Fallout 3, Civilization IV: Colonization, Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, Far Cry 2, Jumpgate Evolution, Rise of the Argonauts, and Saints Row 2.

Looking further into the future we also see Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, The Sims 3, and the Grand Theft Auto IV PC port. The big news about GTA IV is the list of new and improved features, exclusive to PC - including a replay editor (sorely missed from the console original), improved graphics, more realistic lighting, and smoother animation - meaning it will join such titles as Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect in having belated PC ports that substantially improve on their console originals. For those waiting with bated breath, GTA IV will be released on PC in November.

Despite these gaming goodies, however, many people are reluctant to get into PC gaming, or to return to it years after defecting to consoles. The two main culprits are complexity and expense.

Too many people remember the bad old days of hacking the autoexec.bat file to squeeze a few more kilobytes out of the 386's measly 640KB of core memory to get some DOS game or other to run. We have come a long way since then, but there is no doubt that PC gaming will never be quite as effortless as gaming on a console. That said, however, console gaming is no longer as simple as it once was either, with very PC-like firmware updates and game patches to download and variations in system hardware making development trickier.

But expense seems to be the big barrier for most people. Ask a console gamer what is wrong with PC gaming, and you will usually be told that they cost far too much money, and before you've gotten your money's worth out of them you have to spend more money to upgrade them again. As the owner of several gaming PCs, a PlayStation 3 and an Xbox 360 I can only say... yes, they are right. Gaming-capable PCs cost significantly more than consoles.

Nonetheless, I argue that PC gaming is not as expensive as you might think. One of the illusions that makes PCs look more expensive than they really are is that they are usually advertised as a complete package, including a monitor, speakers, case, keyboard, mouse, and so on. Try to imagine how expensive console gaming would be if you rolled a new TV and sound system into each purchase; it would inflate the cost significantly.

Beyond this, though, PC hardware has also increased in power and dropped in price by an amazing degree in recent years. There is a phenomenon that I like to call the Console-PC Leapfrog Effect, which works like this:

In order to compete with each other, console manufacturers tend to bring out their new systems close together (often with one having a head-start to try and cash in early). This represents a generational leap for the console hardware, and PCs of the time suddenly look very expensive and underpowered. However, modern game consoles want a lifespan of at least five years, and Sony aims for at least seven, so long before the next generation is launched, PC hardware has dropped in price and increased in power.

We are currently approaching the Xbox 360's third birthday and the PlayStation 3's second. Two to three years is a long time for PC hardware, and the bleeding edge technology of 2005 is ubiquitous in the budget boxes of 2008. At the same time, though, the raw power arms race that used to be the hallmark of PC hardware has cooled to a large degree, and manufacturers seem to be more interested in making modestly more powerful hardware for much lower costs. Intel and AMD no longer argue about clock speeds, but instead are trying to make their CPUs smaller, cheaper, and more energy efficient.

What this means is that gaming PCs are becoming obsolete more slowly than they used to, and powerful, up-to-date systems are getting cheaper. While you can still spend the cost of a very good used car on a bleeding edge system these days, the rewards for doing so are much less, and spending several hundred dollars more on a top of the line video card may only give you a few frames-per-second improvement. Chris Taylor - the brain behind such PC gaming classics as Total Annihilation, Dungeon Siege, and Supreme Commander - says something similar in this interview with Gamasutra.

So, to wrap up, how much will a reasonably future-proof gaming rig cost you these days? It depends very much on what you want to run, but as a benchmark let us look at some recent cross-platform titles - if nothing else, it will indicate how much a PC as powerful as a 360 or PS3 might cost. As everyone knows, minimum requirements are worthless, and what you want are recommended requirements.

For this example, I will price a gaming rig that will play the PC ports of Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, and BioShock as well as PC exclusives Spore and Crysis: Warhead at high detail, and should stay current for at least a couple of years. I ended up with the following:

As an upgrade to an existing PC, the above hardware, plus a new motherboard, could add up to less than $600 for a smart shopper. As a complete system, with a monitor and other hardware included, you could get it for around $1000, plus a little more if you get a nice big monitor and fancy peripherals. You could also throw in half a terabyte of hard drive storage for around $100 more.

Incidentally, this makes a mockery of the comments by Lucas Arts' Cameron Suey, who in May told VideoGamer.com that the reason The Force Unleashed is not coming to PC is because only a US$4000 rig would be able to give the same experience as the 360 or PS3 versions.

Such a system, in the current PC gaming arena, would last you at least three years before needing a significant upgrade, and possibly five or more, a lifespan similar to a gaming-specific console, as well as providing all the function and flexibility of a PC.

When you compare this to a current generation gaming console, priced between $400 and $700, it no longer seems so expensive, especially compared to those consoles' launch prices of only a few years ago.

As I said earlier, PC gaming is definitely more expensive than console gaming, but the price gap is closing, and with several years before the next big upgrade in console power, the PC is only going to look better and better as a serious platform for hardcore gamers.

- James "DexX" Dominguez

Screen Play readers can submit articles or ideas for consideration in Your Turn using the email address screenplayblog@gmail.com. The best blog post each month as judged by Jason Hill will win a PlayStation 3 console from Sony Computer Entertainment worth $699. The next Your Turn prize winner will be announced on October 31. Only Australian residents are eligible and the judge's decision is final.

Posted
by Jason HillOctober 2, 2008 7:43 AM

LATEST COMMENTS

I find PC gaming a bore and something that was only popular in the 90s. They are only good for wasting your life on those WOW style games.

The consoles are the way of the future.

Move on people.

Posted by: franco on October 2, 2008 8:08 AM

DexX, you make good points illustrating the benefits of PC gaming. I would like to diagree with you on a number of fronts though.

1) Games that will be made for the PS3 and 360 -say in 5 years time - will work with the current versions. In other words, no need to worry about upgrading your console.
That is where PC gaming is annoying. Your PC that could play Crysis last year, wont be able to handle Far Cry 2 unless you reduce stuff like resolution and all. And so the experience is watered down unless you make hundreds of dollars in upgrades.

2) Console gaming doesnt need product keys and all those other copy-protection hassles that are still mandatory in PC gaming.

3) Viruses and other malware could ruin your expensive PC. Where as its really rare to hear of cases were a console was hit with a virus or oter damaging intrusions from the internet.

Think about it, no one doubts that PC is the most superior gaming plartform for hardcore games. But with the global economy in a mess, most gamer really cant afford to be upgrading their PC periodically anymore.

Ironically DexX, games like Bioshock, both on PC and 360 ave really been maginally superior on the PC that PS3 and 360 owners really aint missing much interms of technical quality of the games. The differences in visuals are really not worth droolling over PC gaming.

Infact the 360 has been the lead platform for most games, whilst the PC has seen a lot of ports recently from 360 exclusives.

EA, are to soon stop making sports games for the PC. No Gears of War 2 for PC as well.

Fact is, with the success and horse power of both the 360 and PS3, a lot of devs can afford to sacrifise the PC platform and concentrate on the PS3 and 360.

Posted by: Culture Warrior on October 2, 2008 8:28 AM

These days arnt cosoles computers anyway . They go online,get software updates , 1 (possibly 2 based on romuors) have internet browsers ,download content.
What exaclty about a desktop sepreates it from consoles . Upgradeability ? The ablity to store porn ? getting a virus ?

Posted by: Mongey on October 2, 2008 8:34 AM

Interesting DexX, but I will have to argue the point against your explaining away the costs of a full pc setup compared to a home-theatre.

It doesnt change the fact that a single video card can be the same price as a console, while a decent size pc monitor will now generally accept component,vga (obviously) & HDMI inputs. So a console setup at the same audio/visual quality as a PC is still a much cheaper prospect.

As for the games you list, some are either very niche, coming out on console anyway or just plain terrible (imo).

I think where consoles cant match PC as a gaming platform is in the free content / casual game perspective, where flash sites and alike can provide decent entertainment for $0.

PC's still have the complexity of needing a certification in networking & security to play a multiplayer game with friends (either LAN or net) and installation time can understandably tick people off.

I see more people flocking to Blizzard products as if it were the last bastion of hope for the fledgling PC platform, but realistically its more the case that other publishers / developers have had enough of trying to make returns on a platform that doesnt produce the sales of the alternatives.

Though I would strongly suggest if you want a gaming rig today, spend the money now so you wont have to later... the worst trap you can get caught in with PC purchases is going cheap on certain elements (ram / cpu) only to get caught out later by an architectural change in the standards the market is interested in selling.

Ive set myself a timeline of Q1 2009 to piece together a new machine, coincidently thats when the next Total War game is released ;)... purely coincidence... sure...

Posted by: Darryn on October 2, 2008 8:35 AM

Bless you DexX - this is a perfectly timed article, coming hot on the heels of my main box, Black Betty, deciding to shuffle off this tightly wound mortal coil.

I've been looking around at specs and new systems but deciding between one mobo or cpu or gpu and the next is doing my head in. I suspect I'll need a new power supply to run the funky new video cards but beyond that, your suggestions seem sound.

Modding, machinima and the extra levels available in the PC version of TF2 are also pulling me back to the possibilities of PC gaming. (Though I suspect that the passive-aggressive nagging 360voice will keep me honest in console world)

Posted by: singo the dingo on October 2, 2008 8:44 AM

Give me a shooter on the PC anyday. So much easier to control with the mouse and keyboard than the dual knobs on the PS3.

Posted by: krager on October 2, 2008 8:52 AM

I'm definitely interested in PC gaming after your blog post. I'm one of those people who things it is way to expensive and complicated.

I've had systems die on me and I've no time or inclination to muck around with them like I used to. Another great thing about not using PCs is that we no longer pirate stuff like we used to. True story, we got a DVD burner and copied like heaps of DVDs.

Now that thing is obsolete and we're all using macs just for non-gaming purposes we don't do that as a family anymore.

But -- it is something to consider. I like playing FPS on a PC more than a console.

I might have to print this out in the future to convince future wifey. Is Bio Shock coming out on PC?

Posted by: Eddie on October 2, 2008 8:57 AM

Keyboard and mouse are still the kings of FPS control.

Posted by: zebba on October 2, 2008 9:01 AM

Is Bio Shock coming out on PC?

Posted by: Eddie on October 2, 2008 8:57 AM

Only a mac user...

Posted by: fnord on October 2, 2008 9:12 AM

Nicely articulated article. :P

I am an old school PC gamer and I cant see this ever changing. However, main pro's of a console -

1. is that 4 people can use the one machine to play multi-player. In PC terms, you need 4 times the equipment (x4 cost)

2. Portability. I can pack up a console and head to a mates house to play (and sink the odd brew) without having to take over a full rig.

On the whole though, my box is still going strong for the games I need it for. And were talking only a single 3200 AMD/256 GC and 1g RAM.

It IS time to upgrade... I hear Total war is out in January..well well..

Posted by: Regent on October 2, 2008 9:17 AM

I rarely play pc games, much prefer consoles. Even if a game is out on both. I think the main reason for this is that i can relax and lie on the lounge while playing a console, where with a pc i have to hunch over a computer screen and don't feel so relaxed. Plus my tv much much bigger than my 19 inch monitor.

Posted by: Lucas on October 2, 2008 9:17 AM

Ahh... autoexec.bat and config.ini. Oh, the memories :-) I even still use DOSBox a fair bit these days, and wish it required some more tinkering like in the old days...

Yes, I'll also agree PC gaming is more expensive than console, but I still use both.

FPS games I play on both... a while back I would have said i preferred the mouse/gamepad combo, but after Gears/Bioshock etc the console controller works fine for me.

RTS is the only thing I can't really imagine working on a console. Too many input options to use on the limited buttons on a console controller.

Also, to be frank, it's been ages since I bought games for my PC. The latest ones were i think COD2, the Dawn of War Anthology etc (but not the last one). Given that, getting upgrades isn't an issue for me until I finish more of those games and feel more of a need to upgrade.

Also, I like using the PC for indie games, open source and game modding. Just last weekend I gave myself a geeky birthday present and finally installed an Ubuntu partition on my laptop so that, among other things, I can look into making my own games. As a hobby first, and then see how far it goes. :-)

Basically, I still love PC gaming, but I'll admit that all of my recent purchases have been for the 360/Wii, and won't feel the need to spend more on my PC until i complete my existing PC games.

I am looking at setting up a LinuxMCE box for the loungeroom, but that's a totally different story... :-D

Posted by: Zoid on October 2, 2008 9:21 AM

I'm going to touch on this in a submission to screenplay shortly. Just because the console becomes the preferred platform of the AAA developer it doesn't mean that the PC is going anywhere.

In fact it would probably make room for smaller developers who focus on games that are a good fit for the hardcore PC crowd.

Posted by: Anthony Murphy on October 2, 2008 9:22 AM

Theres no doubting that there exists games of certain genres that are preferenced on PC or plainly belong only on PC, however the issue is not what you feel fits best... but what developers / publishers feel fits best!

Your free to say you have a better time with example COD4 on PC using keyboard & mouse, but what were the comparative sales figures between the PC and next-gen console platforms?

Its all well and good that you enjoy games on PC, but if publishers were to stop releasing for PC then it means very little...

Note that Im not saying they WILL eventually abandon the PC, but rather dont think just because you feel certain games fit better means they will always be there.

Personally I dont like the sony controllers as an input for shooters, Resistance really irritated me... but I think the x360 pad is well suited for a good experience with a bit of a learning curve.

Posted by: Darryn on October 2, 2008 9:24 AM

Your last sentence is a little off DexX, any PC game aficionado knows that its true worth lies in casual games, I just read a Will Wright quote that he made Spore for those reprobates too.

Trolling aside, the PC as a games platform you are right is not dead, the built-in audience that cut their teeth on frankenstein'd machines to play the latest FPS's over the years will never leave.

The strategy being taken is a bad one though, it sounds like a Used Car Salesman or door-knocking Jevohah's Witness is telling me my PC can STILL be kinda okay for games.

Methinks the elephant in the room is all the consoles companies' insistence that they have to be PC's/George Foreman grills as well. The broader market doesn't (particularly) want to play their MP3 and blu-ray libraries through their current-gen consoles at this point, they want to (gasp) play some games. Sony actually want you to use your PS3 in the living room as the Everything Machine rathern than leave it in the bedroom where you play MGS4 at night like a leper.

When these non-game aspects of the consoles catch on, then PC gamers will need to start worrying I think.

Posted by: Marttin on October 2, 2008 9:24 AM

The PC will not die while RTS and FPS still exist. I don't give a damn how good a pad is, it will NEVER compare to how good a proper mouse is for those styles of games

Posted by: Pylades on October 2, 2008 9:53 AM

DexX you're a allllrrrrright!!

of course the PC is better - I've owned plenty of consoles and plenty of PC's.

My Solution to expensive upgrades is to upgrade early, I build a new PC every year, and I sell the old one for a decent price to either a family member/friend or even ebay you can find a good buyer - and if you build it yourself with the items you want then it's cheaper than the PC's the the shops build themselves.

I think too many people out go "hmmm need a PC" - so they head off to harvey norman to get ripped off - but I understand not everyone has the technical prowess that IT nerds have - but everyone knows a nerd somehow so getting advice isn't that hard. And I'll normally put one together for someone at the measly cost of a slab - make that premium slab.

Currently I own a PS3/Wii/DS but still can't get enough of the PC - to me the PC is the best multiplayer format out there - no fees, no weird connecting services like the wii or PS3. It's already stated above that mouse/keyboard is far more superior to the pathetic dual analogue.

Let's not forget console games are made with pc's.

Posted by: LoTIoN on October 2, 2008 9:57 AM

I must admit, I'm kinda weirded out by the fact that some people would buy a PC just for playing games.

From what I understand if you are just wanting to use a keyboard and mouse, you can get add ons for consoles now as well.

However...

*shoaves PC flag into the opening of a console*

Consoles nowadays are still too rigid.

An Apple is a perfect example of a PC console. (you read it here first)

*ducks*

It has everything provided for you, but it is very difficult to get under the hood, to open up the box and tinker.

I agree, a console has its place, but there is no way that they will move away from being developed on the PC.

You can't experiment and mod with a console. You need a PC to program it, and that is where the the advancement is at the forefront.

Cheers,

NS.

Posted by: NS on October 2, 2008 10:00 AM

"As an upgrade to an existing PC, the above hardware, plus a new motherboard, could add up to less than $600 for a smart shopper."

And a new power supply, and the time needed to reinstall the new OS, and the time needed to track down all the latest drivers... which still will NOT guarantee every game will work first go. Even the bleeding-edge of hardware means nothing if the game is poorly made (exactly what happened with my spiffy new 8800GTX setup and Neverwinter Nights 2, Crysis etc...).

Posted by: Mr Waffle on October 2, 2008 10:02 AM

I have my macs for work and my consoles for games.
I celebrate the divide.

You seem to have missed one obvious advantage of consoles over pcs. I know games will work, from the get go. No drivers, no upgrades, no worries. Whereas my memories of pc gaming is one of getting the latest drivers for my video card, and that was if i was lucky enough not to have to buy a new card. In this modern life I have little room for complications in my entertainment time. install times on the ps3 are bad enough.

Posted by: Karl on October 2, 2008 10:09 AM

Mr Waffle - what a sham NWN2's requirements were. No way that game should have suffered the terrible frame rates people had to put up with. It single handidly killed off any endeavour I had to get back into Persistant Worlds, as I had a blast playing NWN online for over a year.

Posted by: TOMATOR on October 2, 2008 10:11 AM

Fell out of favour with PC Gaming years ago, because I followed the games, and they led me to the consoles.

The scene might not be dead, but it 'aint nothing compared to the 90's

Posted by: crsdfr on October 2, 2008 11:17 AM

A few years back I would have agreed with you, DexX. But nowdays I've bought myself a Mac for design stuff (book publishing/web) and a 360 for games and I'm loving it that way.

I'll probably still get a windows partition (or whatever - I'm not a technical guy, I'll need to speak to friends) for RTS games.

But in my experience, FPS are much more playable now on console than they were last generation and most other game formats have always been better on console.

Anyway, that's my two cents worth.

Posted by: Mr Ak on October 2, 2008 11:28 AM

Interesting article, however it doesn't tell the whole story about PC gaming.

Sure these days we don't need to frig around with the autoexec.bat however now there are driver compatibility issues, and even more configuration needed compared to the 386 days.

Also the cost of the PC there is missing quite a few extras like the power supply that is mentioned before, as well as the operating system and software around that. And don't forget the premium cooling options that you need so that your PC sounds less like a jet and more like the PS3.

Playing FPS and RTS also requires a mouse and keyboard, so I guess you might have to pay some more for a decent mouse and keyboard set as well, unless you plan on using a low spec mouse on your high res set up.

Just to note as well, if you build the PC yourself, and something fails, it's up to you to follow it up with the manufacturer, as opposed to sending back a console for repair under warranty.

It's easier for someone who is into I.T. to set up a PC, however if there is a 10 year old who wants to play a game, it's not something I would recommend him to go ask his mum to build for him (assuming that his mum isn't in the I.T. field).

I know it might be sounding a little (or a lot) negative, but I just had to rant about the reasons why I would prefer console gaming, over PC gaming, even though I have several PC's and laptops scattered throughout my house.

Any constructive feedback I'd have though, would be to say that I would consider PC gaming to be a premium these days if you have the time and the money. It's a great experience, as the mouse and keyboard can be customised to your needs, the hardware can be customised and upgraded when necessary. However you should also be prepared to spend time sorting everything out and spend time to increase your knowledge around PC's in order to iron out the kinks which will happen in the future.

Posted by: James on October 2, 2008 11:32 AM

Another 2c on RTS controls for console formats... well, kinda but for RPG's instead.

I found Oblivion a bit unwieldy on a console controller, particularly using the 8-direction D-pad for your 8 shortcut keys. Very easy to press the wrong one in the middle of a battle, then get hammered.

People who have played RTS etc on a console, what are the good/bad aspects of the controller? What would it need to improve?

Posted by: Zoid on October 2, 2008 11:38 AM

Of course, I might change my mind in the next few years, as you'll need to install special equipment in your TV to handle the ridiculously oversized breasts in fighting games.

I recently bought Soul Calibur IV. Not a bad game, but I'd like a costume for my female characters more substantial than Bong-Seon underwear, please.

And I miss being able to make all my characters speak in Japanese.

Posted by: Mr Ak on October 2, 2008 12:07 PM

@ Zoid

I think that says more about the design of the 360 gamepad rather than the use of a controller for console games. I find that RPGs on the PS2 are still fun to play and easy to handle.

Posted by: Misty on October 2, 2008 12:20 PM

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Just a quick note, a kind of blanket reply: my brand new PC cost me $1,600 complete, with a huge gorgeous 2ms monitor, wireless ergo kb and mouse, a super-fast dual core Intel CPU (no real point in the quads yet), a near top of the line Radeon 4870 card, 2GB RAM (going to stick in another 2GB very soon), a beautiful case that is damned near silent (including a huge power supply), 750GB HD, and a nice-but-not-great 5.1 speaker setup. Oh yes, that included the OS (Vista Home Premium). Everything in it is brand-name - no generic no-name rubbish.

It's so far played everything I've thrown at it silky smooth at full detail, 1680x1050, and apart from the RAM bump-up (small change - cheaper than a game) I expect it to last me unchanged for at least three years.

I upgraded my secondary PC myself, but the new megabeastie was built in the shop at no cost - they considered the build cost to be covered by the price I was paying for the parts. Because they set it up for me and installed all the latest drivers, I have had zero problems, except that a few old games won't run under Vista.

If I already had the setup and just needed the guts upgraded, I would have been looking at around $700 or so.

Yes, it's more expensive that console gaming, but it's not as much of a price difference as it used to be (back when PS2s were new, a serious gaming PC would set you back around $2,500 at least, and could easily top $3,000) and if you let someone else build and upgrade it for you you will have minimal setup problems.

I love my consoles (as mentioned in the article I have a PS3 and a 360) and I think different games work on different platforms. I also use my PC for graphics, publishing, communications, and I plan to do some music recording on it when I can find the time to learn the software.

I agree that PC gaming is more for "enthusiasts" - it takes a little more dedication, and keeping your PC running and up-to-date needs to be fun for you to be worthwhile, I think. Gamings PCs are hobbies, really... ongoing personal projects. PC gaming geeks invest a lot of personal identity in their rigs, like a skater and his board or a musician and his instruments. Consoles are less customisable, less able to be fiddled with, and therefore less personal, I think.

Okay, that wasn't as quick a note as I intended... :)

Posted by: DexX on October 2, 2008 12:25 PM

@Mr Ak

I agree, I am still waiting for the anatomy police to come around and sort out the disproportionate women in games.

Also how can they fight with so little armour, strange isn't it...

Posted by: James on October 2, 2008 12:31 PM

"And I miss being able to make all my characters speak in Japanese.

Posted by: Mr Ak on October 2, 2008 12:07 PM "

Have you looked in the options menu? 'cause it's right there... the only character who sounds better in English is Yoda.

And there are tons of non-slutty outfits, right from the start. You'll earn even more as you play the game.

Posted by: Mr Waffle on October 2, 2008 12:40 PM

I've had a good discussion with some people re: console vs pc. From what we all finally agreed on, the PC has the same level of upgrading as a console, yet the console is becoming more a popular choice.

@ Mr AK
I put a Windows partition on my Mac a few months ago. It meant I could finally relive some of those old classics, but running a game like looking forward to seeing how GTAIV will go on it.

Posted by: Joka on October 2, 2008 12:47 PM

The main difference right now is in online gaming - for both pros and cons:

1. With consoles you know the other players' hardware is the same (or close to the same!) as yours - not tweaked, less likely to be cheating, and they don't have some fancy weighted laser mouse which is faster + more accurate than yours!

2. The downside is that you can't get an edge over someone else by having a higher res. screen or better specced graphics cvard!

Posted by: Bourkie on October 2, 2008 12:49 PM

Screw you all, I'll put up with occasional driver faults and a general inability to keep up with the technology curve so long as I have a sense of ownership over my machine and all its parts and innards.

I own a 360 and play it regularly and I don't have a gaming rig after my last one died and I still haven't replaced it. But my love for the PC never dies. Never on a console will you have the freedom you do on a PC.

Not while you have the Marketplace, the PSN Store, the Wii Shop Channel, all with their respective points. They've built a network they control, on top of a platform they've copyrights and patents on, and it's all channeled through their own systems.

I used to joke with my friends who called me for technical support. "Sorry, I fix PCs, you've got a Packard Bell."
Ironically, the inability to get into the case and change anything makes those machines a whole lot worse to deal with when something goes wrong.

But I guess, I don't want the simplicity. I don't want to be fenced in. And you can complain all you like about having to download drivers and fiddle with stuff to get it to work, but if it's the price I pay to BE ABLE to change my system and control it and do with it whatever I please, I'll take that in a heartbeat.

Posted by: InstinctSage on October 2, 2008 1:00 PM

@ Mr Waffle
Really? I looked for the Japanese briefly and didn't find it. I guess I'll look again.

I disagree about the outfits though. The majority are designed to show as much flesh as possible. Compare the character design of Setsuka or Sophitia from SCIII to SCIV. It's like they've both grown about three cup sizes but are still wearing the same size clothes. Or look at Taki - I'm surprised she can even stand up without falling over, let along fight.

Admittedly, the secondary costumes are generally less revealing, but still...

I'm also not really comfortable with the fact that you can create an underwear version of Amy. It's just icky.

Posted by: Mr Ak on October 2, 2008 1:17 PM

My PC is still my major gaming device, and as much as I enjoy the action based stuff on consoles, I just find them a clumsy way of playing RTS, FPS and the more complex RPGs. Those three things being the games I gravitate towards.

I must admit that my computer is my 'baby' though, so I actually get joy out of researching new pieces and the like to make it better and stronger.

One really big disservice PC part makers have done for themselves is the obscured numbering system for parts. This then gives dodgy sales people openings to hock things that sound better to those that don't have the time to research*. In turn the purchaser is left with a bitter taste, and will obviously turn to things they trust to function in at least predictable ways (I.E. consoles).

Given that Intel and MS are responsible for a lot of this FUD, I have little hope that the so called PC Games Alliance will produce anything more than some bitch fights.

At least the PC platform made it's peace with casual games way back at Win 3.11 (Minesweeper or Solitaire anyone?)

*There was a brilliant Dilbert animated cartoon of this in practice:
Dilbert’s mother: “Hmm, the Gruntmaster 6000, not as featured as the 8000, but more featured than the 3000.”
Dilbert: “But we haven’t even designed what the first one does yet!?”

Posted by: Anthony on October 2, 2008 1:22 PM

Namco makes both Soul Calibur and Tekken, and Tekken is the more mature of the two in that respect. I'm not saying it hasn't had its share of scantily clad women before, but compared to DOA or SC it can at least be called subtle.

Though T6 is going to succumb to the "dress up" game now too.

Posted by: InstinctSage on October 2, 2008 1:36 PM

I switched to consoles when the original xbox came out (to save on hardware costs), but switched back to PC after experiencing the red rings of death on my 360, and am wandering why I ever went to consoles in the first place.

Most of us use PCs for more than games, and having upgraded my PC six months ago, I worked out the extra cost in turning it into a decent gaming rig was about $350 ($370 for a 9800GTX, minus the $70 or so I saved not getting a basic video card, plus around $50 for an extra 2GB of RAM).

Seems quite reasonable compared to console prices.

As for Lucas’ comments at 9:17am, I have a video extension cord running to my TV from the second video output jack, and a USB wireless receiver for Xbox 360 peripherals, so I can sit back on the couch and play all the latest games with my 360 controller. I even played through Crysis using the 360 controller – I know the mouse/keyboard is better for FPS, but in single player its more relaxing not to be 'hunched over a desk' as Lucas said (just drop the difficulty slightly to compensate for the harder aiming). And some games such as Assassins Creed and Race Driver Grid are much easier to control using a console controller anyway.

But the big advantage of the PC is the mods/hacks you can do to your games, a level of freedom you never get on a console. I even re-purchased Oblivion on the PC (I had it on the 360 originally) so I could access the wealth of user generated content out there on the net.

Finally, as a fan of online distribution (particularly STEAM), around 75% of the games I play don’t need any messing around with disks, I can switch between them with a few clicks of my wireless mouse without even having to get up off the couch.

Posted by: Paul on October 2, 2008 1:42 PM

I love my PC. The most use the PS3 gets is for watching DVDs, DivX files etc, as the screen is just larger.

I love the comment about only a $4000 rig being able to give the same Force Unleashed experience as the consoles. I started playing Crysis: Warhead yesterday on my 2-year-old hardware. Something odd about those claims.

@ InstinctSage

I totally agree. I like my PC, I like it to interact with all my other friends who have PCs. I like that I'm not locked into a proprietary network, running through third-party servers for everything that I want to do. I like that I have selected every component of my PC personally so that I know where it may bottleneck, how I can improve it, and the quality of the components.

I don't think the argument being espoused that "consoles are where the publishers think the money is, therefore the argument is moot" is a valid one. The best experience for developers and gamers should always be considered, even if that beige box may have fallen out of vogue.

In my opinion, the box will make a comeback. Realistically, the PS3 was $1,000 at launch. That was enough to buy a top of the line video card and a processor, with equal or greater power than the console. Now you can pick up nVidia's latest line for a remarkably low cost, and they are really second to none. (In that vein, DexX, I'm disappointed that you went with the competition - I don't like the Radeons too much)

@ Anthony

I love that Dilbert cartoon.

Posted by: Lith on October 2, 2008 1:55 PM

"...as I have a sense of ownership over my machine and all its parts and innards. "

"But I guess, I don't want the simplicity. I don't want to be fenced in."

I guess this goes in line with what Dexx metioned, about how PC gamers make it more of a hobby as opposed to just playing the games on the machine.

They also find maintaining the PC as enjoyable as playing the game. I would have to say it's a different feeling when you get the parts together and build a machine that works, compared to handing over $1000 for a PS3 and carrying it home.

I'm also impressed that Dexx has been able to put that rig together for $1,600 - as a number of years ago, something comparitively powerful would be much pricier. I hope the specs become obsolete later rather than sooner.

And Vista's SP1 fixed up a fair few niggles, so make sure you're up to date! :)

Posted by: James on October 2, 2008 1:56 PM

Lith, I was kicking myself a few weeks later when nVidia released drivers merging PhysX functionality into the GPU. I luuuurve physics. The Radeon unfortunately gave the best framerate-per-dollar at time of purchase. *sigh* Oh well. It's my first every ATI card - been nVidia all the way since 3Dfx went bust, starting with the Riva.

Posted by: DexX on October 2, 2008 2:07 PM

Give me a wii and wii sports any day over a word processor .... sorry PC.

Posted by: Mario on October 2, 2008 2:16 PM

On a somewhat related note, this article features an Apple Mac Pro with Vista on the monitor!

I know the author sometimes is off the mark in his previous articles, but this one tops the cake!

I bet you couldn't build that thing for $1,600 without running into a lot of problems ;)

Posted by: James on October 2, 2008 2:39 PM

Mr Ak,

Underwear version of Amy? Just when I thought that Soul Calibur couldn't top Talim in the jailbait stakes...

I agree with you in one respect though, the costumes in SC seem to be shrinking as bust size increases. Ivy and Taki seem to be the main culprits, and from screen shots, it seems that all the females other than Talim fell victim to 18th century cosmetic surgery too this time around, and now that dirty part of my brain is wondering why the youngest female cast member hasn't been modified as such. Part of me wouldn't be suprised to find a sailor suit buried in there in the costume options =P.

Makes me kind of glad I use Astaroth and can thus avoid the *ahem* distractions.

Posted by: Pylades on October 2, 2008 2:49 PM

@ Eddie: pc version of bioshock was released like a year ago :)

Posted by: fntc on October 2, 2008 3:14 PM

James, I doubt Asher chose the picture - it was probably just yanked out of stock by a subeditor.

Pretty weird mistake, though. I mean, TVs and computers always have a fake screen 'shopped in for catalogue shots, but I can't imagine how a Vista screen was mixed up with OS X. Pretty odd.

> I'm also impressed that Dexx has been able to put that rig together for $1,600

ePower on Lonsdale Street - I can't recommend them highly enough. Friendly, knowledgeable, great range, and good prices. MSY is cheaper byt too far away and their site is the ugliest on the whole internet. Scorpion are fantastic - have bought from them before - but not quite as good on price. I was surprised when I did my research, though, just how close the prices were between different shops.

I ended up going with ePower because they gave a competitive price with all name-brand parts. MSY was cheaper, but further to travel and some generic parts. Scorpion was about the same price, but they charged for assembly (ePower did it for free) and were a lot further for me to drive.

I started with their premium gaming box and upgraded components up to my budget. I think I went to about $1,650 when I asked for the wireless ergo keyboard and wireless laswer mouse...

Posted by: DexX on October 2, 2008 3:33 PM

@James on October 2, 2008 2:39 PM
Given the officially sanctioned Boot Camp, that's actually not that strange.

Although that foul odour could just be combing the evils of Vista (I.E Mac OS X knockoff) with fixed Mac hardware to created the ultimate summoning portal for the dark lord himself!

As you can tell, I'm a great fan of the Cult of Steve Jobs (Apple) and of Win XP: The return of ME (Vista).

Posted by: Anthony on October 2, 2008 4:05 PM

People, like I said a Mac user. We don't know what games are :D

I think I'll stick with consoles. I got no money to build a sweet gaming rig.

Posted by: Eddie on October 2, 2008 4:23 PM

Thanks for the heads up on ePower, i might check them out since I work in the Melbourne CBD area.

My last PC purchase was a laptop, which is nice to use in various places but doesn't have the grunt to play games at anywhere near a decent res and settings.

But having less time to play these days, the PSP comes really handy on the train.

Posted by: James on October 2, 2008 4:29 PM

I am ashamed to say it, but I love Vista. Once you turn off that MADDENING user account control "feature" and install all the latest updates, it's really smooth to use. Only problem is the handful of old games that don't work.

Posted by: DexX on October 2, 2008 4:35 PM

@ Instinctsage and Anthony

agree totally

the mods to game thing really made me think if it wasn't for that then counter strike would probably never have been made - consoles will never let you make your own mod...ever.

Posted by: LoTIoN on October 2, 2008 4:46 PM

> ...the PSP comes really handy on the train.

Mine too. Finished W40k: Squad Command today, damn it! After the extremely tough middle missions, the second last one was susprisingly easy, and the final one was a breeze. A bit disappointing, really... *sigh* Loved it to bits, though.

So, as of tonight's train ride, I'm back on Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror.

Posted by: DexX on October 2, 2008 5:04 PM

@ LoTIoN

Exactly. I understand that, if you can develop for XBLA for example, your content gets streamed direct to a captive audience. Like Braid. Could have been just another "Hey, look at that, it's neat" PC downloadable, but instead it's made quite a sum.

Tower of Goo got picked up and now World of Goo is coming to Wii. That's a success story, sure.

But once its there, that's that. Nobody can take it and run with it. There'd be no Desert Combat, no Counter Strike, no Tower Defense or Gauntlet on Warcraft 3 (I'm assuming those were player created maps).

Instead you have Bungie charging you for map packs, which is fine, but they'd never get away with it on PC when you'd have a map making community that could produce twice the amount of quality maps (and about 15 times the crap). The good ones get picked up on servers, and everybody wins. Most of all the developers don't lose, because at the end of the day, you need their game to play any of it.

We lose that with consoles. We gain a few things, but we lose so much more.

Posted by: InstinctSage on October 2, 2008 5:13 PM

I can't imagine life without my PC. Ofcourse I use it mainly for internet and media, the only PC games I play regularly atm are Sims 2 (lame, I know) and Phantasy Star.

I'm obviously not a hardcore PC gamer as implied by the article, but I still think the PC has some of the better qualities when it comes to gaming. For certain types of games, sims and RPGs in particular PC setup is definitely easier. Yes, there are a lot of issues with PCs (viruses and shoddy driver updates anyone?) but I don't think that will wipe it out as a platform. It's like arguing that the RROD negates all the decent software and good times to be had on the 360.

Ultimately PC gaming is different to console gaming. Nothing wrong with that. :)

I upgraded my box in May because poor Sauron II started booting up sounding like a helicopter (Dad tried life saving surgery, but power supply and motherboard went boom shortly after) and I have to admit I got geeky delight in researching all the available cases, processors, cards etc... and then matching it all up. PC gaming can be astoundingly cheap when you know where to look for parts. MSY have warehouse prices and I built my mid-range box for $800 - which isn't bad as it should last me wuite a few years and gets constant use. Good value in my opinion. :)

Posted by: Ali on October 2, 2008 7:44 PM

The biggest thing I find with consoles is a level playing field online. Everyone has the same hardware (maybe some have a bigger TV than others).
I know that if I play multiplayer on Halo or COD4 that no one is hacking and if I get killed it's all down to skill of my opponents (or my own stupidity)....CS was so frustrating online when you would spawn for the round and than a hacker from the other team would knife you all in 5 seconds, then you would have to find another server if an Admin wasn't online.

I also feel the console is a little more comfortable, where you can kick back in a bean bag or couch as oppossed to the PC where you are hunched over in a chair.

PC will be always be the king platform for RTS, which is pretty much the only gaming i use mine for.